On a muggy Sunday night of August 16, I ventured out to the Funhouse Lounge to see ska masters Mrs. Skannotto. After some really good rock and punk openers I finally was eager to settle into some ska and hear some brass. Singer Joe Harmon almost melted into his mic as he flitted about the tiny stage while the lively horn section (Justin Lloyd on trumpet and Evan Dobbins on trombone) bumped things up to a danceable tempo.
Mrs. Skannotto, from Rochester, NY, played a varied ska with a harder rock edge to. Thing is, they only played half an hour and the show was over. I have no idea whose idea it was to only let them play a half hour set. I was just getting into it when it was all over. Usually bands play an hour to an hour and a half. Further, there were maybe half a dozen people in attendance who weren’t associated with one of the bands. What I saw I really enjoyed, but it was just way too short. The remainder of Mrs. Skannotto is Mike Frederick on guitar, Dan Carter on bass, and Alex Bochettto on drums.
Among Criminals, a trio from Philly, played just prior to MS. Singer/guitarist extraordinaire Ryan Gaughan looked like a throwback from the early seventies with his long wavy hair roaming down his back. His voice even sounded a bit like Robert Plant, albeit in a bit lower register. For a trio these guys packed a lot of power. If I hadn’t seen them on stage or had been watching with my eyes closed I wouldn’t have believed they were a three-piece outfit. These guys set the stage on fire. The other two members of Among Criminals are Bhauraw Avhad on bass and KC Chann on drums!
Seattle’s Regional Faction played about three songs before Among Criminals, claimed it was their last show ever and left due to technical difficulties. Perhaps it was the technical difficulties they kept having, but their heart just didn’t seem to be into their performance.
Ted Bunny took the stage before that. I’d been meaning to see these guys for awhile now, but it never seemed to work out. I was glad I finally got the opportunity. Ted Bunny is a really young band, like maybe not out of high school yet young. That being said, they were well rehearsed and really gelling into being a cohesive unit. Their singer/front man Avery Davis really amazed me. Although I don’t care for the vocal style that basically sounds like someone puking, his antics impressed me. He bounced about the stage constantly, emoting as if his life depended on it. He was actually quite charming. This band also had a female guitar player (Bella Brockman) who picked the strings as well as any more seasoned musician and though she often had that hard punk look, when she flashed a smile, revealing her braces, she really added to the charm of this band. Bass player Jack Christian seemed to be the shy one. His long straight hair was almost always hanging in front of his face as he stood to one side of the stage, not really giving much eye contact or interacting with anyone. This just made the band more endearing. Their drummer, looking even younger than the others, slammed away with enough fury to ignite his set on fire. For one song Avery took over on bass, Jack took over on guitar, and Bella sang lead in the same guttural growls. For the last song, though, there actually was singing and Bella sang some real harmonies, showing she has a really beautiful voice. At the very end Avery stood on top of the drum kit, screaming away. At the very end Avery stood on top of the drum kit, screaming away, before leaping off. Overall, this band impressed me and I highly recommend them.
Starting off the entire evening was Seattle’s Wiscon. This four-piece had a fascinating singer (Taryn Rene’ Dorsey) who also played a wicked tambourine. There was a touch of charm and a voice that was gutsy, yet silky. Keyboard player (Paul Morgan) was very animated, grimacing and almost gyrating as he stood in front of the keyboard. Their songs were very catchy and rhythmic. The other two band members were Steven Devine on bass and Alex Upton on drums. They all sang backing vocals providing great four-part harmony.
Another fun show went down in Seattle with very few people witnessing it. Pity. People here need to get out more and become more adventurous.
